Incontinent male patients, such as those suffering from spinal cord injuries, often wear devices for the collection of urine. The urinary collection device most widely used with incontinent male patients is commonly called a "Texas Catheter" and it consists of a flexible condom-like sheath which is secured to the patient's penis and a tubular member which connects the condom-like device to a suitable urine receptacle. A device of this type is shown in the Rogers et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,857, granted Sep. 17, 1974.
One of the problems involved in the use of the "Texas Catheter" is that the sheath which depends upon its elasticity to stay in place can be accidently removed quite easily from the patient's penis without the patient being aware of its removal. Another Rogers et al patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,638, discloses a liner pad which has an adhesive coating which clings to the penis and which is designed to retain the elastic sheath on the penis. Still another patent relating to a sheath liner useful for this purpose is U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,851.
Although the use of an adhesive coated sheath liner is an improvement on the use of the sheath itself in preventing accidental removal, it is not without disadvantages. For example, the liner normally has to be either placed on or removed from the penis of the patient by a person other than the patient. In addition, the liner and its adhesive layer can cause tissue irritation.
In my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,381,767 and 4,387,705, I disclosed implantable rings which can be implanted under the penile skin to form a outwardly extending, circumferential protuberance that assists in retaining a Texas Catheter in place. Although both of these patented devices are useful, they do require making a circumcision type incision completely about the penile shaft.
Obviously, it would be advantageous to have an improved ring and a simplified method for implanting a ring to more securely attach the sheath of a Texas Catheter to the penis of an incontinent male patient.